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Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas

tcaeditors@tribune.com

Cal Thomas is one of the most widely syndicated political columnists in America. Based in Washington, he is a wide-ranging social commentator, not a "beltway insider," who supports traditional conservative values and the American "can-do spirit." He'll take on virtually any topic, from the decline of the family to growing terrorism worldwide.
A syndicated columnist since 1984, he is the author of “America’s Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires, Superpowers and the United States” (HarperCollins/Zondervan, January 2020). His latest book is “A Watchman in the Night: What I’ve Seen in 50 Years Reporting on America” (Humanix Books, May 2023). Readers may email Mr. Thomas at tcaeditors@tribune.com.

Columns by Cal Thomas

THOMAS: Courting trouble in Iowa

When Meredith Willson wrote the wildly popular musical "The Music Man" half a century ago, Harold Hill proclaimed trouble had come to River City, Iowa, in the form of a pool hall, which he claimed would corrupt young people unless the local citizens bought the musical instruments he was selling and got their children into a marching band.

April 7, 2009

THOMAS: Life imitates Pod-People art

The plot of the 1956 cult classic "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" seems remarkably similar to the story line of the Obama administration, which is invading, and appears eager to take over, corporate America. Unfortunately, the reality of the threat to American corporations is far creepier than any science-fiction film could ever be.

April 3, 2009

THOMAS: Obama’s war or ours?

One often reads and hears that Afghanistan has become “Obama's war.” The implication by many is that if things go badly in Afghanistan, President Obama will be blamed and it will cause him political damage. But if things go well, who will get the credit? It won't be former President George W. Bush, of that you can be sure.

April 1, 2009

THOMAS: Consensus or censorship?

The Environmental Protection Agency has submitted a "finding" to the White House Office of Management and Budget that will force the Obama administration to decide whether to limit greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. If adopted, new laws and regulations will likely follow that have the potential to change our lifestyles and limit our freedoms.

March 27, 2009

THOMAS: Prevailing politics of envy

When politicians get on their high horses about something, it is almost certain that a considerable amount of horse manure will get spread around.

March 20, 2009

THOMAS: No one defends Bernard Madoff

The bilked have provided numerous sound bites denouncing Bernie Madoff as "evil," a word whose true meaning is sometimes difficult to grasp in our "nonjudgmental" age.

March 18, 2009

THOMAS: Journey to destruction

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," said Confucius. But a journey of whatever length presumes one has a destination in mind. With President Obama's executive order authorizing expanded federal funding for research using stem cells, produced from the destruction of human embryos, the destination will be left up to scientists, as will any "speed controls."

March 13, 2009

THOMAS: Guilty consciences

For social liberals, what is it about abortion that makes some of them consider it a sacrificial rite through which only the killing of an unborn child can truly liberate a woman from the clutches of paternalism?

March 4, 2009

THOMAS: The president and the governor

After weeks of "talking down" the economy and concern among some of his supporters that his sobering prognosis for the nation's recovery might be affecting America's natural optimism, President Obama delivered a speech to Congress on Tuesday, parts of which sounded as if they could have been written by a Republican.

February 27, 2009

THOMAS: Changing nation

"Always pay the bank" was my father's economic advice. In good times and in bad, whether I had low, moderate or high income, I always paid the bank. The bank now offers me loans.

February 25, 2009

THOMAS: Time to say goodbye

General Motors made my first car. It was a 1955 two-tone Chevrolet with stick shift and black tires. It had an AM radio and air conditioning, if I hand-cranked the window down in summer. It came with bench seats, the better to have your date close to you. I bought it used (this was before cars were "pre-owned") in 1961. My Dad co-signed the $750 note, which I paid.

February 20, 2009

THOMAS: Why Obamacare may beget euthanasia

Thanks to former New York Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey and her recent essay on Bloomberg.com titled "Ruin your health with the Obama stimulus plan," we know of another problem with the just-passed stimulus bill, one that may threaten the lives of many Americans.

February 18, 2009

THOMAS: The other Indiana

When President Obama visited Elkhart, Ind., on Monday to flog his economic stimulus plan (aka, more government spending), he saw a struggling town in the midst of a relatively prosperous state. Had he taken the time to visit Indianapolis and to meet with Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, he would have seen a different picture.

February 13, 2009

THOMAS: Happiness or misery?

In Charles Dickens' novel "David Copperfield," Wilkins Micawber delivers an economics lesson to young David that has been lost on most congressional Democrats, the president and many of us. "Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen nineteen six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."

February 11, 2009

THOMAS: Honestly Abe

Had enough of Abraham Lincoln? Of course you haven't. In the bicentennial year of his birth, Lincoln is more interesting than ever.

February 6, 2009

THOMAS: Once more into the breach

Like Linus van Pelt sitting alone in the pumpkin patch, George Mitchell, Obama's special envoy to the Middle East, is in that dysfunctional region thinking that if he and the Obama administration demonstrate enough sincerity the diplomatic equivalent of the Great Pumpkin will arrive, making all things right.

January 30, 2009

THOMAS: Our need to revive

President Obama's campaign theme of ending politics as usual and creating a new bipartisanship that will get things done for the American people is about to be tested now that he has the power - or at least some of the power - to make it happen.

January 28, 2009